Interesting Car/Truck Manufacturer News

CarLotz falls after losing key sourcing partner temporarily

• CarLotz (NASDAQ:LOTZ) discloses that its profit-sharing corporate vehicle sourcing partner informed the company it has paused consignments to it.
• The pause was due to conditions in the wholesale market.
• The sourcing partner accounted for more than 60% of the cars sold and sourced in Q1. During the current quarter, the vehicle sourcing partner accounted for less than 50% of the cars sold and approximately 25% of cars sourced.
• "The surge in wholesale vehicle prices and the continuing new car chip shortage continues to place limitations on inventory sourcing throughout the industry," warns Michael Bor.
• CarLotz says it has been taking steps designed to increase sourcing from other channels to address the market challenges. LOTZ expects that the moves will increase access to vehicles from consumer consignments, trade-ins and consumer purchases and enhance its ability to profitably source vehicles through auctions.
• LOTZ -3.26% premarket to $5.04.
• Earlier this month, CarLotz slid to a new low after a lack of guidance disappointed investors.

Ford's F-150 Lightning and Tesla's Cybertruck dominate poll of electric truck interest

• Ford (F +2.8%) is seeing a positive response from potential truck buyers to its upcoming F-150 Lightning model, according to polling conducted by Piplsay.
• 32% of respondents called the F-150 Lightning the most impressive upcoming electric pickup truck. The Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Cybertruck was second for most impressive upcoming EV truck at 24%, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado at 21% and GMC Hummer at 12%. The Rivian (RIVN) R1T and Lordstown Endurance trucks lagged behind at 3%.
• 49% of the respondents said if they bought a pickup truck it would either a F-150 Lighting or Cybertruck. Specifications was listed as the top buying consideration.
• EV watch: Electric vehicle sector jolted by Reddit-fueled interest in highly-shorted stocks.

Ford to unveil new small pickup truck next week

• Ford Motor (F +6.0%) plans to come to the market with a new small pickup model called Maverick.
• The Maverick will slot in below the F-150 and Ranger as the automaker looks to compete on price with offerings from Jeep, Honda, Toyota and Nissan. The Maverick will share its platform with the Escape and Bronco Sport crossovers, per Car and Driver. The cost is expected to be around $20K.
• "We do think there’s some opportunity there because of how expensive trucks have gotten, how big they’ve gotten and the overall popularity of trucks," notes Cox Automotive analyst Michelle Krebs.
• Ford is having a strong day after posting its May sales report.

Saw this already. What a dumb move, but we're talking about Ford. Let's resurrect a model that was reserved for a (cheap) car, and use the name for a new (cheap) truck. Well, the two DO have one thing in common.....cheap!

Rubicon 392 is a V8-powered king of the hill
Fox News
Test drive: The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is a V8-powered king of the hill

Mother Nature had better get some ear muffs. The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is the first V8 Wrangler ever and the most powerful. Needless to say, it’s a rowdy one.


The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is the most powerful Wrangler ever.

It borrows its 392 cubic-inch engine from the Dodge Challenger RT Scat Pack,Grand Cherokee SRT, Jeep decided to pair it with the Wrangler’s most off-road capable Rubicon trim.



Its 10.3 inches of ground clearance is a half-inch less than Rubicons equipped with the other engines, however, and it trades the hardcore Rock-Trac 4x4 system for a Selec-Trac version that sacrifices extreme crawl ratio in favor of full-time all-wheel-drive capability.

With all of the torque on tap, it’s hardly missed. You can practically idle through and over most obstacles and I climbed a rocky 30-plus-degree slope with it on the Monticello Motor Club’s off-road course by practically looking at the gas pedal.

A low-range transfer case, front and rear locking differentials and fat 33-inch tall tires certainly helped, while an electronically detachable front sway bar lets you stretch the springs and high performance Fox shocks to their limits on the most uneven surfaces.


2021 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon 392

The Rubicon 392 can put some muscle cars to shame on pavement. It’ll accelerate to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and cover a quarter-mile in 13.0 on its all-terrain rubber. I tried this out on dirt and very quickly found myself going faster than was advisable. This truck is a real monster if you let it off the leash.

It does ride just as well as any other Rubicon on the street, though, and doesn’t give up much refinement aside from the engine and exhaust sound, which is relentless even in its "quiet" setting. Adaptive cruise control is standard and it can tow 3,500 pounds.



It can also impersonate a speedboat, or at least a semi-submersible. The Rubicon 392 is rated to wade through a very exact 32.5 inches of water, but also has a Hydro-Guide air intake system that can channel up to 15 gallons of water a minute away from the engine if you're cruising through a deep stream and create a bow wave that washes over the hood.

I’m sure there are people who will put the power to good use surmounting things no Wrangler has ever climbed before, but the Rubicon 392 is ultimately a pleasure craft designed to deliver you-know-what’s and giggles on command.

You’ll pay the price for them, both at the pump and the dealer. The EPA says the Rubicon 392 delivers a paltry 14 mpg combined and the window sticker demands $74,995 for you to find out for yourself.

That makes the most powerful Wrangler ever also the most expensive, but it does come pretty much fully loaded save for various roof and door options that now include a half-door, knobbier tires and a front camera for seeing over summits that should come in handy since it’s very much the king of the hill.

2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Specs

Base price: $74,995.....As tested: $78,040

Type: 4-door, 5-passenger all-wheel-drive SUV

Engine: 6.4-liter V8

Power: 470 hp, 470 lb-ft torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

MPG: 13 city/17 hwy

Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor covering the car industry and racing.

74 ****in grand for a wrangler holy ****

What the Bronco Sport should have been...

I agree! What the Bronco Sport should have been. Or.....maybe the Bronco ST!

Tesla cancels 'world's quickest' Model S Plaid+ equipped with new battery technology
Says there's "no need" for the $149,990 Model S Plaid+
Fox News

Elon Musk announced on Sunday that Tesla is cancelling its announced Model S Plaid+ trim because the regular Model S Plaid "is just so good."

The $149,990 Plaid+ was set to be the world's quickest mass market car with a 0-60 mph acceleration time under 1.99 seconds and the longest-range electric vehicle at 520 miles, compared to the $119,990 Plaid's claimed figures of exactly 1.99 seconds and 390 miles.

Musk told Electrek the reasoning behind dropping the Plaid+ was that "there are essentially zero trips above 400 miles where the driver doesn’t need to stop for restroom, food, coffee, etc. anyway."

The Plaid and Plaid+ were to both feature tri-motor powertrains rated at 1,020 hp and 1,100 hp, respectively, but it's not clear if they use the same battery technology. Tesla's next-generation 4680 battery cells, which are more energy dense and efficient than the current technology, are said to increase range by approximately 30%, but were recently still in development at a pilot facility.

The upcoming Tesla Cybertruck, Roadster, Semi and Texas-built Model Y are being designed with the new cells in mind, but Musk previously said they would be used in a Plaid, without specifying if he meant both or just the Plaid+, which wasn't scheduled to enter production until mid-2022.

The Plaid+ was initially advertised in January at $139,990, but the price was increased in March by $10,000.

The standard Model S Plaid looks like it will claim the ‘world’s quickest' title, however. Jay Leno, who has an inside line to Musk, told Spike's Car Radio podcast that it recently registered an NHRA-certified 9.247 second quarter-mile run with a trap speed of 152 mph. That would make it quicker than nearly any production car save for the $2.5 million Rimac Nevera electric supercar, which can reportedly reach 60 mph in 1.85 seconds cover a quarter-mile in 8.6 seconds.

Even without the Plaid+, Tesla may soon have a car that's quicker than that. The new Roadster will allegedly be available with a SpaceX option with a cold gas thruster that can accelerate it to 60 mph in 1.1 seconds.

After being delayed from February, the start of Model S Plaid deliveries is scheduled to begin on June 10.

Tesla cancels 'world's quickest' Model S Plaid+ equipped with new battery technology

Lordstown Motors slides after 'going concern' warning

• Lordstown Motors (RIDE -11.4%) was higher on the day after announcing that it would host a Live From Lordstown virtual tour and preview of the startup electric vehicle manufacturer’s operations on June 25 before an afternoon jolt hit.
• Some traders are pointing to the company's recent 10-K/A filing, which contained some "going concern" language under the risk section.
• "We require additional capital to implement our business plan, and it may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all, creating substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern."
• SEC Form 10-K/A

CobraBob said:

Musk told Electrek the reasoning behind dropping the Plaid+ was that "there are essentially zero trips above 400 miles where the driver doesn’t need to stop for restroom, food, coffee, etc. anyway."

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This is where I give Elon big props, he actually thinks of this stuff and has likely the mathematical stats to prove it.

If EV charging is everywhere (as it likely will be) and its good enough to get another 50-100mi in a few minutes time (as it likely will be within a few years), there's no need for 500mi range per charge. It just ends up hindering performance with larger/denser batteries. That's like having a heavy ass phone just so the battery lasts 3-4 days but everywhere you go you charge it anyways.

Ordered my new work vehicle the beginning of March and still do not have a VIN associated with the order.


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

The Ford Maverick may not be the brand's newest pickup model for long.

Photos of a Jeep Gladiator Mojave being tested at a Ford facility in Michigan have rekindled speculation that a Bronco pickup is in the works.

Video
The vehicle was spotted wearing manufacturer plates as it waited to enter a security gate, images published by the Ford Authority website reveal.


The Mojave is a performance version of the Gladiator that was engineered with a special suspension for high-speed off-road driving. Automakers often benchmark new products against competitors' vehicles.

Ford has been seen testing a high performance version of the Bronco SUV that's expected to be called the Raptor or Warthog, but a pickup version that would compete with the Gladiator has not been officially confirmed.


(Ford)

The original Bronco was available as a two-door "half cab" pickup from 1966 to 1972.


This Ford Authority rendering imagines what a 2021 Ford Bronco would look like as a pickup. (Ford Authority)

Ford Authority has created a rendering of what the modern 2021 version could look like with a cargo bed.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Gladiator has proven to be a popular addition to Jeep's lineup with over 77,000 sold in 2020 and sales up 23% through the first quarter of this year.

Weather Man said:

The Ford Maverick may not be the brand's newest pickup model for long.

Photos of a Jeep Gladiator Mojave being tested at a Ford facility in Michigan have rekindled speculation that a Bronco pickup is in the works.

View attachment 1707110Video
The vehicle was spotted wearing manufacturer plates as it waited to enter a security gate, images published by the Ford Authority website reveal.


The Mojave is a performance version of the Gladiator that was engineered with a special suspension for high-speed off-road driving. Automakers often benchmark new products against competitors' vehicles.

Ford has been seen testing a high performance version of the Bronco SUV that's expected to be called the Raptor or Warthog, but a pickup version that would compete with the Gladiator has not been officially confirmed.

View attachment 1707111
(Ford)

The original Bronco was available as a two-door "half cab" pickup from 1966 to 1972.

View attachment 1707112
This Ford Authority rendering imagines what a 2021 Ford Bronco would look like as a pickup. (Ford Authority)

Ford Authority has created a rendering of what the modern 2021 version could look like with a cargo bed.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Gladiator has proven to be a popular addition to Jeep's lineup with over 77,000 sold in 2020 and sales up 23% through the first quarter of this year.

Click to expand...

So Ford's having an Explorer Sport Trac moment?
Ford should name it the Capri, Galaxy, Aerostar, or Marauder. jk

I can see them using the Marauder in the future.

74k for a Wrangler. They'll sell at that price but way more than what I would pay for it.

Blk04L said:

74k for a Wrangler. They'll sell at that price but way more than what I would pay for it.

Click to expand...

You wouldn't believe the number of people here locally dropping $100,000 on swapped ones.

SID297 said:

I can see them using the Marauder in the future.

Click to expand...

On a truck or SUV?

CobraBob said:

On a truck or SUV?

Click to expand...

They used mustang on an SUV....

CobraBob said:

On a truck or SUV?

Click to expand...

On a small electric city car...